Without You
by MASC
Summary: For Melissa. When Robbie finally forces Sportacus to leave LazyTown, Stephanie is left heartbroken and betrayed. But when things start to get even worse, will Stephanie find a way to bring Sportacus back? SportaSteph all the way.


_The world revives…_

_Colors renew…_

_But I know blue, only blue, lonely blue, within me blue._

_---_

**Without You**

**_(From the stage musical "Rent")_**

Maybe it was the fact that he tried too hard. Or was it because he didn't try hard enough? Whatever the reason, scheme after scheme, LazyTown's resident villain was unable to chase away its greatest champion. His inventions always seemed to be a sure hit but with the kids meddling in his affairs and the Man In Blue's quick thinking and mobility, every idea he had always resulted in failure. Regardless, he kept trying day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year until finally on a warm May afternoon, he came to a sudden realization.

"They're all grown up." He said to himself as he leaned back on his fuzzy orange chair.

He had spent so much time trying to rid the town of its hero and keeping his eye on the prize that he almost forgot about the children's inevitable coming of age.

"_Happy birthday!" _

Their voices echoed inside the old bunker. He stood up and pushed the speakers back up into the ceiling then raised his periscope to see what the commotion was about. He searched around town for a few seconds before finding them gathered outside the Mayor's house, surrounding the pink cheerleader he despised almost as much as the Blue Elf.

"Stephanie, princess of LazyTown…" He grunted sarcastically.

He could tell she grew several inches taller and was no longer the little the pink-haired pipsqueak he used to pick on. The other, more significant, parts of her body had matured as well after all those years of dancing and healthy sports activity the annoying Big Blue Bug promoted all those years. She was also extremely beautiful, he had to admit. But that didn't change the way he really felt about her.

Then he moved on to the others. They were all the same, more or less. Pencil, Poodle, Paulie or whatever nickname he used to call Pixel, was practically a walking computer. The greedy, sleepy-eyed, little miser was now a greedy, sleepy-eyed, _tall _miser. The overly enthusiastic candy eater was now strangely thin and the prankster he sometimes praised had also matured in body and mind. Her beauty was unique, however, in the sense that she came off as sultry, dark, and mysteriously alluring compared to Stephanie's natural, unconcealed All-American Girl approach.

No matter how much they changed in look and no matter how much they may have changed in personality, he knew their coming together to celebrate Stephanie's 18th birthday was a bad sign. Because he knew instinctively that he would show up.

Sure enough, after spotting a rapid blue blur that came from out of nowhere, Robbie withdrew the periscope and crossed his arms and pouted the same way he always did. Their cheers of his arrival never grew old, at least not for them.

"There's got to be some way of getting rid of that blue idiot for good." He pondered aloud. "If there was only some way I could discredit him and turn the town against him…"

---

After she finished blowing out the candles on the cake, they all clapped their hands and began handing over her presents. Sportacus stood in the back of the group and marveled at the pink-haired beauty as she went around deciding which of the gifts to open first. She decided to start with Stingy's.

"Those savings bonds will come in handy one day." Stingy nodded approvingly at his gift. "Trust me."

"Thanks Stingy." She gave him a quick hug. "All right, whose shall I open next?"

"Mine! Mine!" Ziggy jumped up and down, filling his requirements as the youngest of the group. "Open mine! You'll love it!"

"All right…" She took the bag from Ziggy's hand and lifted the tissue paper that was tucked inside. "Wow, is that what I think it is?"

"Yup!" He giggled.

"Jellybeans." She couldn't help but smile. "And they're all different shades of pink!"

"Oh and it gets better!"

"How so?"

He handed her a slip of paper with her name on it. "I got you a year's supply that'll last you until your next birthday! They'll come to you in monthly installments so keep that slip with you!"

"Thanks, Ziggy." She hugged him. "Trixie, can I open yours?"

"Uhh…" She smirked and tried to avoid eye contact. "Steph, I think you'll want to open mine later."

"Why?"

"Just because…"

"Trixie, I'll enjoy it no matter what it is."

"Oh, I _know _you'll love it…" She held back her laughter. "…Just go on with Pixel's, will ya?"

"All right." She shrugged as Pixel handed her a small box with a pink bow on top. "Thanks. Okay, let's see…"

She opened the top of the box and took a moment to study the small silver rod with its three small holes running down the middle and a protruding flat edge.

"What is it?"

"It's a whistle."

"A whistle?"

"Yeah. I made it using the latest in ultra-sensory technology." He began to explain. "If you're trying to contact somebody but they're way out of reach, just give it a blow and the whistle will sense what you're feeling and contact the person you're looking for."

"Well what's wrong with a simple phone call?" Trixie raised an eyebrow. "I suppose this is going to be the next big thing in telecommunications?"

"It's a little more complicated than that, Trixie." Pixel immediately defended his invention. "It's for tracking down people who have suddenly disappeared and you don't know where they've gone. This little baby will come in handy one day. You'll see!"

"Oh, whatever."

"Trixie!" Stephanie chided her friend. "I'll be sure to give it a try sometime, Pixel. Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Stephanie smiled and grabbed the knife to cut the cake while Milford came outside with the paper plates and passed one to each guest, minus Sportacus. Later, after everyone had left the party, Sportacus decided to stay a little longer at the request of the mayor as they sat down in the dining room. Stephanie, meanwhile, was in the kitchen tidying up at her own leisure despite her uncle's constant offering to take care of it after his important talk.

"Really, Uncle. I don't mind." She said with a twinkle in her eye as she loaded the dishwasher.

"If you insist, dear." Milford shrugged before turning back to Sportacus. "My, how she's grown."

"Yes." The Man in Blue nodded as he glanced at her from where he was sitting. "She's really matured into a beautiful young woman. And I'm very pleased that she's been accepted into the dance academy. She's earned it."

"Yes she has." He smiled. "Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I'll be leaving town tomorrow and I won't be back for a few days. I was wondering if you would… Lord, I almost feel embarrassed to ask you for this but… would you--"

"Look after Stephanie?" He asked knowingly.

"I know it seems odd to ask you to baby-sit an 18 year old headed for college but it just seems that we've all gotten used to you being around and knowing you'll be there if anything should happen… well it makes me sleep better at night, to be honest."

"Mayor, you have nothing to worry about. I'll make sure nothing bad will happen to Stephanie while you're away. My word is my bond."

"You have no idea how comforting it is to hear that."

Stephanie suddenly stuck her head in. "Uncle, I have to go to Trixie's and pick up my gift. It'll only be a minute."

"Yes, of course."

"Sportacus?" She looked at him shyly. "Do you think maybe you could… y'know, walk me over there?"

"Of course." He nodded at his old friend. "Unless there's anything else you need, mayor."

"Not at all. Good night, Sportacus."

"Good night."

He followed her out of the house and along the path down the neighborhood as sun began to set. They remained silent for almost an entire block until Sportacus, feeling a bit uneasy, decided to break the ice.

"Is something wrong?"

"No. Why do you ask?" She asked him without turning her head.

"Well I mean is there any particular reason why Trixie wanted you to come pick up your gift at her place?"

"Knowing Trixie, it's probably something hazardous like a jar of smallpox." She teased.

"And I suppose you want me there to set her straight just in case?"

"You know me all too well."

Stephanie could sense he was looking at her, which only made her blush on the outside and flutter on the inside. It was more than obvious to those who knew her that Stephanie had the biggest crush on Sportacus since she was eight.

_If only he knew how I felt_, she had often thought to herself. She also wondered why there was anything holding her back. She was eighteen now and more than old enough to make her own decisions but her feelings towards Sportacus were more than just carnal. He was always there for the town. He was always there for her.

_Me_, she thought. He did his job well saving people from all kinds of dilemmas to teaching the younger kids about healthy eating habits and exercise to simple advice given to anyone who asked for it. But despite all that, she had a feeling he took extra care of her with or without the mayor's bidding. And knowing that made her feel all the more special.

_So why not take a chance? _The thought was running through her head. She noticed the front door to Trixie's house and turned around to face Sportacus at last.

"I'll only be a minute."

"Of course." He nodded with a smile.

His smiles always had the power to make her stomach float on air and turning around to knock on the door, only to be let in by Trixie's mother, seemed like the most painful thing to do.

Outside he waited, doing a few sit ups and leg stretches to pass the time. When she came outside, carrying a black bag with pink tissue paper sticking out, he noticed her face was a little flustered.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine…" She put a hand on her face, trying to hide her blushing. "You can walk me back home."

She took his arm in hers, much to his surprise, and walked around the curb towards the park. Sportacus looked back for a moment and glared down at her, as she leaned against his side.

"Where are we going? Your house is on the other side."

"This is a shortcut."

"A shortcut?"

"Trust me."

He trusted her and continued walking along the path, where it eventually led them into an entirely different park on another side of town. Sportacus let Stephanie go, her face practically pouting, and took a moment to explore the strange new environment.

"Stephanie, where are we?"

"It's…" She hesitated. "It's… someplace special."

"Special?"

She took his hand and led him up a hill, where a tall oak tree stood. The park was dark thanks to the setting sun and the nearly visible moon that made it difficult to shine down on the large tree Sportacus and Stephanie were standing under. The Man In Blue suddenly came to a realization as to where they were and remembered some of the high school students talking about the latest hangout spot nicknamed "Paradise Hill".

"Stephanie, I don't think we should be here." He turned to face her. "I really think we should--"

He was suddenly silenced by a pair of soft moist lips that firmly pressed against his own and hands as soft as velvet that ran along his face. Stephanie finally had him to herself and was surprised when he didn't resist her but instead pulled her in closer with those strong masculine arms of his. Their kiss went on for a full minute, their lips brushing against one another and tongues getting acquainted until Sportacus finally broke away and shook his head in disbelief.

"No, wait…" He said out of breath. "This can't be happening."

"Why not?" She asked him, her hands still on his face.

"Stephanie, I just can't… I mean…"

"You can't tell me after all that you don't feel anything."

"I do, Stephanie." He gently placed his hands over hers and lowered them from his face. "You have no idea. No idea how much I…"

"I feel it too." She kissed him again.

"Stop…" He broke away. "This can't happen. If your uncle found out--"

"My uncle has nothing to do with this. This is about you and me, Sportacus. No one else."

"But I made a promise to him. The same one I've made time after time." He started. "I promised to look after you and take care of you."

"Then take care of me now." She guided his hands along her sides. "Right now, Sportacus…"

"That's not what I meant." He reluctantly removed his hands. "I don't want to be seen taking advantage of you."

"You're not. And I know you would never do that."

"But I don't want your uncle thinking that I…" He paused for a moment, thinking of a way to say it best. "… I didn't want him thinking that I was only looking out for you so I could finally have you to myself."

"He wouldn't think that."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know my uncle. He wouldn't lose his head over something like this. He would understand how I felt about you. How I've _always _felt about you."

"Oh, Stephanie…" He cupped her face. "…I never realized I would feel the same way about you. You were always that little girl with the jump rope or with the boom box, dancing around in the courtyard and having fun like a normal child. But now… after all you've accomplished, getting accepted into that school you've dreamed of attending, I can see you now for the woman that you've become."

He kissed her once again but pulled away before they could go any further than that. She stood there confused and waited for his response.

"But I think we should wait it out first." He said at last.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean let's not jump into anything yet until you're absolutely sure that you want to be with me."

"But I _do_ want to be with you!"

"Stephanie, you've never even been with another boy before. Not once have I seen you go out on a date with a boy from school or--"

"Because I don't want a boy from school. Sure, some of them are cute and a lot of fun to be around with but none of them compare to you, Sportacus. It's _you_ I love."

"Just do this for me, Stephanie." He looked at her with those shimmering blue eyes of his. "Please. Give it some thought. At least until your uncle gets back from his trip."

She couldn't resist his puppy dog stare and reluctantly nodded. "All right."

They held each other close and kissed once again under the stars before heading back to town. Unbeknownst to them, however, someone witnessed the entire affair from below and was left utterly speechless.

---

"…Wow." He said at last, retracting his periscope. "That was something I never thought I'd see. Huh. And I bet the mayor would never expect it either…"

With a mischievous grin, Robbie hurried over to a machine located next to his organ and pulled a lever that lowered a rack of monitor screens from the ceiling. He then pulled out an oversized remote from under the cubby and switched the monitors on, flipping through several angles. Once he found what he was looking for, his smile grew even wider.

"Oh this is just _beautiful_." He said. "I've got you now, Sportakook."

---

The next morning, Sportacus woke up and hurried down from his airship and sprinted his way to the Town Hall. Upon entering, he was a bit baffled by the dirty looks Bessie was giving him as she sat at her desk.

"Is something wrong, Bessie?"

"The mayor's expecting you in his office." She said bitterly.

"Thank you…" Was all he said.

When Sportacus entered the room, he saw Milford standing with his back turned to him and his gazed fixed outside the window.

"Close the door." He said with a hint of resentment.

"Mayor, I'm starting to sense--"

"I trusted you." He interrupted.

"I'm sorry?"

"I trusted you to look after Stephanie. Protect her and keep her under your watch but you just couldn't help yourself, could you? You deliberately disobeyed me and took advantage of a girl several years younger than you."

"Mayor…" Sportacus knew that somehow he had discovered about his late-night encounter with Stephanie. "…I don't know what you may have heard but--"

"I'm not finished." He interrupted. "You just waited it out, didn't you? You… oh, God… I can't believe I used to let you play with her as a child…"

"Stephanie told you, did she?"

"No. But I'll have a talk with her later. Right now my first priority is you."

"Then how did you find out?"

"Hello, Sportakook!" Robbie suddenly appeared from around the corner. "Beautiful morning, isn't it?"

"Robbie?"

The villain approached the hero, waving a videotape in his hand and smirked. "Let's see you get out of this one."

"Mayor, I can assure you what happened between us was mutual."

"You're taking advantage of a young girl who doesn't know any better."

"Tell him, chief!" Robbie encouraged him. "Tell him what a no-good, dirty cradle-robber he is!"

"Robbie, so help me--" Sportacus balled up a fist.

"What? _What? _You'll ravish me like you did _her_?"

"Mayor, this is obviously some half-baked plan of Robbie's to try and drive me out of town."

"Well right now I'd say it's working." Milford sighed. "Whatever Robbie's intentions may be, Sportacus, I can't have you watching over our town knowing that you have your sights set on my niece."

"I assure you, _nothing_ happened!"

"Who knows who else he's been drooling over?" Robbie continued. "Trixie, perhaps? Maybe someone from the high school cheerleader squad? Say, wasn't Stephanie--"

"That's enough, Robbie!"

Betrayed, angry and extremely mortified, Milford opened the door to his office and pointed his finger out, indicating his sincerity over the matter. He wanted him out of town as soon as possible, never to return again.

"I'm sorry, Sportacus. But this is the way it has to be."

"Milford, please…"

Despite the evidence laid out against his old friend, Milford couldn't help but open up to his pleas. With a heavy sigh, he offered him a deal.

"Here's out it 's going to work." He began. "I'll just tell her you had to leave unexpectedly and that you might not come back again. There's no need to drag her into this mess if you just go quietly."

"You can't ask me to do that. I love her."

"Uh-oh…" Robbie's gaze directed towards the mayor.

"Goodbye, Sportacus."

"Bye-bye, Sportadoofus!"

---

Stephanie woke up to the sound of engines whirring and looked out her window to see the airship taking off. She hurried out the front door to try and catch up but it was too late. The airship was gone. And so was the only man she had ever loved.

"Sportacus!" She tried calling his name but it was no use.

---

From his office, Milford sighed and reached for his briefcase when there was a knock on the door. Bessie walked in, almost out of breath, and gave him a look that could only mean trouble.

"What is it, Ms. Busybody?"

"The media is here!"

"What?"

---

"_Mayor Meanswell, how could you let a grown man with a hidden agenda blindside you like that!?"_

_"Mayor, is it true your niece slept with an older man just two days shy of her 18th birthday!?"_

_"Mayor, how do parents feel about you letting a man with little or no background claiming to be a superhero and taking advantage of your barely legal teenage niece!?"_

"_Mayor Meanswell, how many other children have fallen victim to this man's deception?" _

And so the news went on fabricating as many details as possible over the next few days. The mayor was forced to cancel his trip and address the situation to the people of LazyTown at a Town Hall meeting, where he came clean about everything.

Learning about Milford's discovery of her encounter with Sportacus through Robbie Rotten made her feel angry and vulnerable. And to add fuel to the fire, her learning of Milford trying to hide the truth about Sportacus's departure only made her angrier. While the concerned parents and overzealous media pelted the helpless mayor with their questions and accusations, Robbie Rotten watched from the back with glee.

"And now for Step 2..." He walked down the center of the aisles and spread his arms out, calling to their attention. "I've been saying it! I've been saying it for 10 years but did anyone bother to listen to me!? No!"

"Robbie, what are you doing?" Trixie shook her head. "Sit back down."

"Fat chance, pigtails." He said as he made his way to the front. "Oh, I can see why you always considered me the 'bad guy' compared to that big blue jumping bean you always placed your faith in! But look what happened! He took advantage of your humble and trusting nature and answered the call of the wild with the mayor's only niece! He made fools out of you! But not _me_! I saw through those phony heroics right from the start! He wasn't just playing with the kids and teaching them all about the importance of healthy living! He was waiting to see which of them would grow up to be the most appealing to his appetite. Who knows how many of your kids he ogled while he was in power?"

"Robbie, can you please sit down?" Milford bowed his head in shame.

"And we all have Mr. Milford Meanswell to thank for that!" He began to clap his hands mockingly. "Yeah! Great job, Milford! Way to go! Way to bend us over and screw us over like Sportacus did to your niece!"

"That's enough!" Stephanie finally stood up. "All of you! You're taking things way out of proportion! Nothing happened between us!"

"You call that nothing!?" Robbie took a newspaper, that displayed a screenshot of the incident, from someone's hand . "You call _this_… _here_… _nothing_!?"

"I love him." She proudly admitted. "And I know, deep down inside, that he loves me too."

Everyone chatted amongst themselves and shook their heads in disbelief while Trixie held Stephanie's hand for support. Stingy, Pixel and Ziggy stood behind them, also backing her up.

"Listen, Pinky…" Robbie finally made it to the podium, where Milford stood nervously. "It's obvious that Big Blue Pervert corrupted you even if nothing happened."

"What do we do now?" Someone in the crowd spoke up. "We can't trust Sportacus anymore but at least he's gone."

"That's right!" Another stood up from his seat. "How can we be sure the mayor won't entrust the safety of this town to _another_ pervert?"

"I say Robbie runs the town!" A random voice shouted much to everyone's agreement.

"Well…" The Rotten one spread his arms out. "Why not? I've kept a close eye on this town for ten years now. I have surveillance cameras covering every inch, not because I'm trying to sneak up on you but because I care about the safety of my town! Remember when LazyTown used to be lazy? I say we bring those days back!"

As everyone listened to what Robbie had to say and offer, agreeing along the way, Stephanie shook her head in disbelief and stormed out of the building with Trixie close behind.

"Steph?"

"Why is he doing this?" She began to cry. "Why is all this happening?"

"Look, I know the last few days have been a little weird but--"

"Weird!?" She interrupted. "Trixie, they're practically accusing Sportacus of raping me and calling my uncle an idiot! And now Robbie Rotten is in there trying to take over the town!"

"She's right." Pixel said as he and the others stepped outside with them. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say Robbie Rotten has finally won."

"I don't believe this…"

---

_Without you, the ground thaws, the rain falls, the grass grows.  
Without you, the seeds root, the flowers bloom, the children play.  
The stars gleam, the poets dream, the eagles fly, without you.  
The earth turns, the sun burns, but I die, without you._

_---_

Three months later, Stephanie left for school. She wanted to be as far away from the reign of Mayor Robbie Rotten as possible. Her uncle's impeachment at the behest of the majority of LazyTown and Sportacus's absence made it hard for her to go on living life in the small town. Her goodbyes to her friends were brief but heartfelt. Saying goodbye to her uncle was a little awkward, seeing as how she felt bad for his expulsion from office but still felt betrayed over his part in sending Sportacus away.

Her classes were pretty much what she expected and she excelled in all of them. But for some reason, she felt like she had lost her passion for dancing. As if something inside of her was keeping her from moving with all her heart. Although she danced with such precision and expertise, she just wasn't feeling like a complete whole.

Meanwhile, back in LazyTown, things started to change immensely. The playground and sports equipment were torn down and replaced with an arcade and parking lots that really didn't lead to anywhere. The kids weren't playing outside anymore. The parents grew bored of the usual routine of coming home and finding their children sitting in front of the TV. There was nothing they could do. Everything the kids used to do for fun were banned. Some townspeople disagreed with his ruling while others simply put up with it. But Robbie didn't care. So long as there weren't any children outside doing anything active, he was just fine.

Sometime later, Stephanie began dating other boys to try and take her mind off of Sportacus. She began dating a personal dance trainer named Davis and went out a few times with him only to discover that he was only interested in her as a friend due to what he called "clashing preferences".

Oftentimes she found herself struggling to sleep at night because she wondered about where he would be and what he was doing. She thought maybe he was out there somewhere, suffering as much as she was.

---

_Without you, the tides change, the boys run, the oceans crash.  
The crowds roar, the days soar, the babies cry, without you.  
The moon glows, the river flows, but I die, without you._

_---_

It had been over seven months since Robbie Rotten got rid of Sportacus and booted Milford out of the mayor's seat, basically taking over LazyTown and claiming it as his own. The Christmas season was upon them now and Stephanie was coming home to spend time with her uncle, who was still slumped in his forced retirement.

She was greeted by her friends at the train station, who were more than willing to leave there as soon as possible. It seemed that every year the snow and the weather grew colder during the holidays and the more the temperature dropped, so did their tolerance of the cold.

During the drive back to LazyTown, Stephanie looked out the car window and noticed the changes immediately. No children playing outside, no sports equipment and not a single snowman to be seen.

"This is all Robbie's doing, I presume?" She asked faintly. "Figures."

"The sports equipment were the first to go." Pixel said as he drove. "Then the playground…"

"Then the park itself." Added Stingy. "And our poor little clubhouses never made it out alive either."

"So," Trixie changed the subject. "How have you been?"

"Fine, I guess." She lied through her teeth.

"Oh. Well how have you _really _been?"

"Miserable. I miss home. I miss you guys. I miss Uncle Milford. And I miss…" She bit her lip and looked down. "…It's been hard, I have to admit."

"I'm sure he's miserable too, Steph. Wherever he may be."

---

"Welcome home, dear." Milford greeted his niece with a hug and a kiss. "How was the ride over to LazyTown?"

"Nothing special." She shrugged as she unloaded the gifts from under her bag and placed them under Milford's tree. "How have you been?"

"I've been trying to keep busy."

As she hung up her coat in the closet, Stephanie noticed all the different types of model airplanes dangling from the ceiling. "…Yeah, I can see that."

He chuckled. "Are you hungry, dear? Can I fix you something?"

"No thanks, Uncle Milford." She shook her head. "If it's all right, I think I'll take a little nap."

She went inside her old room and was amazed to find that everything was still in place. She took off her shoes and climbed into bed with the rest of her clothes on and stared straight up at the ceiling. She could hear the wind blow from outside as the snowflakes began to frost up her window and turned to her side. She was now staring at her old desk where her diary lay and decided to get out of bed for a quick moment to retrieve the book.

As she flipped through the pages, she stumbled upon the last entry that recapped her magical moment under the stars with the love of her life.

_Dear Diary,_

_Tonight was the most amazing night of my life. I finally told Sportacus how I felt about him and was relieved to know that he felt the same way about me. Then, in a moment of pure nirvana, our lips met under the stars and I could feel our body heat grow under all the excitement. _

_Sadly, though, we had to cut it short. He made a valid point about us rushing into things and that I should probably take my time before I commit to a relationship. After all, I just turned 18. _

_But I know in my heart that it was meant to be. I've never had these feelings about anyone before. He makes me feel special and he's always there for me when I need him. It's almost a shame knowing because of that, I'll never need to use the gift Pixel made for me. _

Stephanie stopped reading at that point and was struck with an idea. She closed the book and searched her dresser for the box Pixel gave her several months ago. It wasn't long at all until she found it and removed the whistle from its case. She gave the object a once-over before heading into her closet to change.

---

Outside, Mayor Robbie Rotten marveled at the empty snow-covered streets and the lack of snowmen that were usually planted on everyone's front lawn. He inhaled the cold air and exhaled triumphantly before heading down to the pond, where he was surprised to see a familiar pink figure skating on the ice.

She swooped down the middle and turned right, turning herself into a human spinning top until she reached the edge of the pond. She then reached into her front pocket and pulled out the whistle, placing its flat edge to the tip of her mouth. She closed her eyes and thought of the one person she wanted to see more than anyone and blew with all her might, releasing a low-pitched hum that didn't seem to work as she thought it would.

"Hey, you!" Robbie finally called out to her. "NO skating on the ice!"

"What?" She stopped to take a look at him, lowering her whistle. "Are you serious?"

"Oh, it's _you_." He grinned. "Welcome back."

"What have you done to LazyTown, Robbie?"

"Isn't it beautiful? No kids, no playing around, no Sportakook trying to get them motivated!" He laughed joyously. "I suppose I have you to thank for not restraining your feelings for him."

"You're sick, do you know that?"

"Am I?" He asked as he stepped onto the ice, unaware of the thin patch that waited below his feet. "Or am I the best thing that's ever happened to this town?"

"Sportacus is the best thing that's ever happened to this town."

"What do you see in that guy, anyway?"

"His soul." She answered. "Something you'll never have."

"This town doesn't need him."

"Maybe not. But _I _need him."

"Well too bad. Because he's never coming back again. I made sure of that."

"Why do you do this to us, Robbie? Why do you try so hard to make our lives a living Hell for your own amusement?"

"Amusement? No, no, no, my little pink friend. I don't do these things for shits and giggles. I do them because I want to restore the nature of things. LazyTown's nature has always been about being lazy and therefore the only way to restore it was to get rid of Sportakook."

"If it's nature you're talking about then you should know that it's also about change. And Sportacus changed this town for the better."

"Listen to me." He said as the pressure of Robbie's foot began to crack the ice beneath him. "Get this through your thick pink head! Sportacus is gone! No one needs him! Not them! Not you! And definitely not--AAAH!"

And like that, the both of them plummeted from the surface and into the into the icy deep as the ground beneath them suddenly gave in to their weight. Stephanie wrestled her way back to the top and let out a bloodcurdling scream until she saw a hand extend towards her.

Despite her excitement and the sheer joy of seeing his face, she was unable to scream out his name but her pale and shivering body told him everything. As he wrapped her around in a thick blue sheet, he noticed she was trying to say something else. A name of some sort. One that rhymed with "Hobby". When The Man In Blue realized who it was she meant, he almost hesitated until he had an idea.

Placing the goggles on, Sportacus dived in after Robbie and pulled him up to the surface ten seconds later but not onto the shore. Instead, he leapt out and stood next to Stephanie and watched as he struggled t stay afloat.

"H-hey!" He shivered. "P-pull m-me out of h-here!"

"Now why would I want to do that?"

"What!?" He gave him a surprised look. "Because you're the town hero! Now get me out!"

"If I recall correctly, Robbie, I was driven out of town for a crime I didn't commit."

"Hey, come on! You're not gonna let an old thing like that get in the way of you saving me, are ya!?"

"I might."

"Sportacus!"

"I'm sorry but I don't think I can save you. To tell you the truth, I shouldn't even be here. So I guess I'll be going…"

"WAIT!"

"What is it?"

"I'll do anything you want! Just get me out!"

"Anything?"

"YES! ANYTHING!"

"Give Milford his position back."

"DONE!"

"And tell him the truth about me and Stephanie."

"FINE!"

"Anything else, Stephanie?"

She nodded. "Lift the ban on sports equipment and outdoor activity."

"Oh come on! At least give me--"

"No? Bye then." Sportacus turned to leave.

"ALL RIGHT, FINE! FINE! I'LL DO IT ALL! JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE! AND HURRY! I CAN'T SWIM!"

With a satisfied grin, Sportacus reached into the pond and pulled out a drenched and shivering Robbie Rotten, who stared at his archenemy with total disgust.

"How the hell did you get back here?" He grumbled.

---

Milford was surprised to find Sportacus at his door but even more surprised to see him carrying a cold, wet, and shivering Stephanie into the house.

"Sportacus…"

"I got you your job back." He winked at him as he opened the door to Stephanie's room.

As he set her down on her bed, she slowly removed the blue sheet and began taking off her shirt. Sportacus quickly turned around and headed for the door before any awkward exchanges could be had. He then came face to face with Milford, who felt a bit uneasy with his presence.

"She's changing, Milford."

"Sportacus, did I hear you say… you got me my job back?"

"Yes. Robbie has volunteered to resign and give you your position as mayor back. That is, if you'll accept it."

"Why, yes but what happened?"

"She and Robbie were standing on the pond above a patch of thin ice. I saved her right away and made a deal with Robbie before I got him out. Things will be going back to normal soon."

"Thank you but…" He paused. "…What made you come back here all of a sudden?"

"I just felt like my presence was needed. I can't explain it exactly but I had this sudden urge to hurry back over to LazyTown before it was too late. At first I thought it was my crystal acting up but no. It wasn't. I wish I knew what it was."

Sportacus sighed and took another glance at the door then turned around to leave. "I suppose I should be going now."

"Sportacus!" He stopped the man in his tracks. "Wait… hold on a second…"

"Yes?"

"There's something I have to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I…" He hesitated. "… I may have been quick to judge you. I just… I just wasn't prepared to see what I saw, I suppose. I know Stephanie is old enough to make her own decisions and if her feelings about you are as real as she says they are…"

"Yes?"

"I just want to know for sure that your feelings for her are genuine."

"They are."

"They are?"

"Yes. I love your niece, Milford. And I can't be without her any longer. But if you want me out of LazyTown for good then I will obey because I don't want to ruin our friendship any more than I already have."

"Sportacus…" He took the man's hand and shook it. "…You're a good man. You always have been. I should have known better than to trust Robbie Rotten. And I should have known better than to chase you out of town. Please, Sportacus. Stay here where you're needed."

"For LazyTown then."

"For Stephanie." He shook his head. "Above all--Stephanie. I can tell she's been miserable without you. And I can't help but feel responsible."

"For Stephanie."

---

He sat at her bedside while she rested and gently stroked her face with the back of his hand. Then he stood up and prepared to head back into his airship when she heard his name.

"Don't go."

"I won't." He whispered softly and returned to her side. "I'm here, Stephanie. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Everything's fine now."

"Good." He kissed her forehead. "You get your rest. We'll have lots to talk about later."

"Sportacus?" She stopped him before he could leave.

"Yes, Stephanie?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

---

Another month had passed and Stephanie and Sportacus were officially an item. Although it took some getting used to by the public, they soon warmed up to the idea that they were indeed in love with each other and no one could dissuade them from it.

Pixel was pleased to know that his invention worked and was responsible for the return of LazyTown's greatest hero. Robbie Rotten, however, returned to sulking in his lair with the mayor keeping a constant eye on him now. If there was one thing that brought him some peace, however, it was the fact that he finally chased Sportacus out of town for seven months.

---

Inside the airship, they were busy covering each other with a swarm of kisses as Stephanie hurried to help him get his shirt off. Once that was accomplished, she gently pushed him onto the bed and stood before him wearing only a blue sheet wrapped around her.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked her.

She nodded with a smile. "I'm sure."

She opened the sheet and dropped it to the floor to reveal a skimpy black and pink negligee covering her small frame. By the look on his face, she could tell he liked what he saw and smiled.

"Is that…"

"Yup." She nodded. "Trixie's gift."

"Thank you, Trixie…"

---

_The mind churns._

_The heart yearns._

_The tears dry, without you.  
Life goes on, but I'm gone.  
Cause I die, without you._

**THE END**


End file.
